Self-esteem means feeling good about yourself. People who think abilities can grow tend to see effort as something that helps them learn. They see setbacks as chances to build new skills. Telling yourself you cannot do something YET reminds you that you can keep improving if you keep trying. A mistake is part of trying, and you can try again.

Kids who feel good about themselves have the confidence to try new things. Learning new things can build that confidence. Learning to do new things, like reading or riding a bike, can make you feel more confident. Setting a goal, making a plan, and tracking your progress can help you feel good about what you have done so far.

The things you say to yourself in your mind play a big part in how you feel about yourself. A way to check your self-talk is to ask whether you would say the same thing to a good friend. Self-compassion means being kind and understanding with yourself when you struggle or make a mistake. It is the opposite of harshly criticizing yourself.

No one is perfect, so you do not have to be perfect to feel good about yourself. Praise feels real when it is honest and fits what happened. Kids feel good when people notice how hard they tried and how much they have improved, not only whether they won.

Being kind and helping other people can make you feel good. A kind act can be small, like sharing your lunch or giving someone a hug. Doing something kind for a classmate or at home, like a favor for a sibling, is a way to feel good about what you do. Kind acts can help classmates accept you. Being happy, kind and well liked tend to go together.

In one study of kids ages 9 to 11, some students did kind acts for four weeks. Other students only listed pleasant places they visited. The students who did kind acts gained more in how much classmates accepted them than the students who listed places.

Gratitude means noticing the good things in the world and the gifts you have received from others. Gratitude helps strengthen relationships, because it makes us notice how other people have supported us. Saying thank you to someone is one small kind thing you can do, and it can help you feel good too. Thinking of three good things that happened today, for example before bed, helps you notice more of the good in your life.

Good friends are people you can be yourself with. They help you feel OK about who you are. Good friends treat you well, and good friendships can help you feel you belong. Feeling good about yourself starts when you feel safe, loved and cared for by grown-ups.

Sleep helps too. Getting enough sleep helps kids feel and behave better the next day. Enough sleep helps with how you feel, how you learn and how your brain grows. Kids aged 6 to 12 need about 9 to 12 hours of sleep each night, as of November 2026. A good sleep routine, with a regular bedtime, helps kids ease into a good night's sleep. A grown-up you trust can help.

Words to know

• gratitude: thankful noticing
• setbacks: bad turns
• routine: same steps daily
• belong: fit in